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Director’s Message

As the head of a Federal agency, I make decisions nearly
every day on how to spend taxpayers’ dollars. My job at
NIJ is to ensure that our R&D dollars build the best knowledge
possible—the most crucial, the most timely, the highest
quality—for the criminal justice community.

Our cover story explores this process of knowledge building
in one of the most vital components of our justice system:
eyewitness evidence and how lineups are conducted. “Police
Lineups: Making Eyewitness Identification More Reliable”
discusses the state of knowledge and practice on this
controversial subject. We also discuss a very important
study that we have recently begun—a field test of
simultaneous versus sequential lineups using blind and
nonblind administrators.

Another area in which NIJ is working to build knowledge
is forensics. I am extremely proud to tell you that Dr.
John Morgan, the head of NIJ’s science and technology office,
and his team of researchers, lawyers, and analysts received
the 2007 Service to America Medal in Justice and Law
Enforcement. John received the “Sammie” for the
knowledge his team has generated as part of the President’s
DNA Initiative. Their work has helped solve thousands of
cold cases and has dramatically expanded the capacity of
local law enforcement to use DNA evidence. To John and his
team, I offer my praise and recognition for (if I may
borrow the words of the Service to America committee) your
commitment to and innovation in making our Nation stronger
and safer.

Finally, I am excited to report that NIJ and Harvard
University have teamed up to repeat history—in the
best sense of that concept. A generation ago, NIJ and
Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government sponsored the Executive
Session on Policing. The participants of that landmark
project became the police leaders of the following two
decades. Now, post-9/11, we are experiencing an unprecedented
investment in new data systems, training, and technology
for law enforcement. To help guide the Nation in this
monumental effort, NIJ and Harvard are now reexamining ways
to help elected officials and senior executives use these
investments wisely and effectively. Through our executive
session on Policing in the New Century, we will
identify the principles and priorities that will make
effective policing not just possible but likely in the next
two decades.

As NIJ continues to build the best criminal justice practices
and technologies, we remain committed to spreading this
knowledge to all corners of the country through publications
like this issue of the NIJ Journal. I hope you find
it interesting and useful.